Screw driver with screw holding means



Dec. 26 1961 M. BROWN 3,014,513

scmzw DRIVER WITH SCREW HOLDING MEANS Filed June 25, 1958 Fig./

I! 20 W Y 4 I ,58 5/ /6 X 24 32 54 Lawrence M. Brown Fig.9 INVENTOR.

. 52 9 64 56 BY 34 X 8 M4 3,614,513 Patented Dec. 26, 1961 3,014,513ECREW DRIVER WITH SCREW HOLDING MEANS Lawrence M. Brown, 931 S. 7thEast, Salt Lake City, Utah Filed June 23, 1958, Ser. No. 743,881 Elaims.((Cl. 145-5ii) This invention relates to new and useful improvements inscrew drivers, and more specifically to a screw driver which is providedwith internally disposed screw retaining means.

When starting a screw into a hole, it is necessary that the blade of thescrew driver be retained in the kerf of the screw. While this is easilydone when both hands are available, one for holding the screw on thescrew driver and the other for turning the screw driver, there are manyinstances Where either both hands are not available, or it is impossibleto place ones hand in the area where the screw is to be positioned.Normally in order to retain the screw in the proper relationship to thescrew driver, there has been provided a pair of claws or spring fingerswhich slide along the outside of the screw driver shank and engage underthe head of the screw to hold the screw on the screw driver blade. Thesespring fingers have numerous disadvantages which will not be elaboratedhere. On the other hand, it has been found that if the blade of thescrew driver is bifurcated and that there be provided an intermediateblade portion which may be biased with respect to the main bladeportions, the biasing of the intermediate blade portion with respect tothe remainder of the blade will be sufiicient to hold a screw on thescrew driver. It is therefore the primary object of this invention toprovide a novel screw holding means of the type which uses a turnableintermediate blade portion for biasing a screw relative to the screwdriver blade.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved screw holdingmeans of the type which includes a biasing blade portion, the screwholding means including a torsion member which normally retains theintermediate blade portion in a biased position and there being provideda suitable operator for aligning the intermediate blade portion with themain blade portions so that the entire blade may be positioned in thekerf of a screw and the screw retained on the blade after the operatoris released due to the function of the torsion member.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved screwdriver with screw holding means, the screw holding means being o-f anextremely simple construction and being of such a nature whereby theymay be readily retained within a hollow handle of a screw driver.

1 These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the screw driver which is the subjectof this invention and shows the general outline .thereof;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and showsthe specific details of the screw holding means, a portion of the shankof the screw driver being broken away;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view takensubstantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE2"and shows the specific connection between a rod of the screw holdingmeans, a torsion member and an extension of the handle which is used toposition the screw holding blade portion;

FIGURE 4 is an enlargedtransverse sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 and showsthe manner in which the handle of the screw driver is interlocked with atubular extension of the shank of the screw driver and the relationshipof the torsion member with respect to this tubular extension;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 2 and showsthe manner in which the upper end of the torsion member is locked withrespect to the tubular extension;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged end view of the screw driver shank showing thescrew holding blade portion disposed in an intermediate position forretaining a screw head in engagement with the screw driver shank.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 and shows the intermediate bladeportion aligned with the main blade portions ready for the reception ofa screw;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a modified form of connectorfor connecting the torsion member to the rod of the screw holding means;and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal View taken through amodified form of screw driver and shows a modified form of torsionmember.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated the screw driver which is the subject of this invention, thescrew driver being referred to in general by .the reference numeral 10.The screw driver It) includes an elongated tubular shank 12 which has alongitudinal bore 14- therethrough. The shank 12 terminates at its lowerend in a blade 16. Due to the bore 1 5, the blade 16 is bifurcated andincludes a pair of blade portions 13 which will be considered main bladeportions.

Telescoped over the upper end of the shank 12 is an enlarged tubularextension 20. The extension 20 has a longitudinal keyway formed in theupper portion thereof, the keyway being referred to by the referencenumeral 22 and being best shown in FIGURE 4. A handle 24 is telescopedover the upper portion of the tubular extension 26 and is interlockedtherewith by means of a projection 26 which extends into the keyway 22.

Carried by the screw driver It are the screw holding means which are thesubject of this invention, the screw holding means being referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 23. The screw holding means 28 includesan elongated rod 34} which extends through the bore 14 and is rotatablyjournaled in the shank 12. The rod 30 terminates at the lower endthereof in a blade portion 32 which terminates coplanar with the blade16 and is dis? posed intermediate the blade portions 18. The rod 30extends above the shank 12 and terminates in an olfset end 34.

As is best shown in FIGURE 3, the tubular extension 20 is provided witha transverse slot 36. The offset end 34 extends through the transverseslot 36. This transverse slot 36 also serves to vertically position therod 30 in the shank 12.

Rotatably journaled on the lower portion of the tubular extension 20 isa cylindrical extension 38 of the handle 24. The extension 38 is anoperator and has the peripheral surface thereof configurated tofacilitate the gripping thereof as is best shown in FIGURE 3. Thecylindrical extension 38 is provided with a transverse bore 40 which isaligned with the slot 36 and which receives the offset end 34 so thatthe cylindrical extension 38 is interlocked with the rod 30. Thus byrotating the cylindrical extension 38, the intermediate blade portion 32may be selectivelyjaligned with the main blade portions 18, as is bestshown in FIGURE 7.

In order that the intermediate blade portion 32 may be biased from oneposition aligned with the blade portions 18 toward a position rotated180 from the one position and past the position illustrated in FIGURE 6,there is disposed within the tubular extension 20 a torsion member 42 inthe form of a fiat strip of spring material. The upper end of thetorsion member 42 is anchored relative to the tubular extension 26* bymeans of an inverted U- shaped connector 44 which is telescoped over theupper end of the torsion member 42 and which has ends thereof seated inlongitudinal slots 46 formed in transverse alignment in the upper end ofthe tubular extension 20, as is best shown in FIGURE 5.

Secured to the lower end of the torsion member 42 by means of atransverse pin 48 is a U-shaped connector 50. The U-shaped connector 59is engaged over the offset end 34 of the rod 34 Thus the opposite endsof the torsion member 42 are anchored to the tubular extension 20 and tothe rod 30.

The torsion member 42 is so connected to the rod 39 whereby theintermediate blade portion 32 is normally urged toward the intermediateposition illustrated in FIG- URE 6 from a position rotated 180 from itsnormal position by the torsion member 42. When it is desired to place ascrew on the screw driver It), by rotating the cylindrical extension 38,the intermediate blade portion 32 is aligned with the main bladeportions 18 as is shown in FIGURE 7. In doing so, it is rotated 180 fromits normal position and necessary that torsional stresses be set up inthe torsion member 42. Thus when the cylindrical extension 38 isreleased, the intermediate blade portion 32 will automatically be urgedback towards its position of FIGURE 6 by the torsion member 42. Thiswill bias a screw head with respect to the main blade portions 18 andthus retain the screw on the screw driver 10.

Referring now to FIGURE 8 in particular, it will be seen that there isillustrated a modified form of connector which is referred to in generalby the reference numeral 52. The connector 52 is a replacement for theconnector 50 and is in the form of a circular cross sectional bar of adiameter to be received in the tubular extension 20. The connector 52has a transverse slot 54- in the upper end thereof in which there isreceived the lower end of the torsion member 42. A similar, but Widertransverse slot 56 is formed in the lower end of the connector 52. Thetransverse slot 56 is disposed generally at right angles to thetransverse slot 54 and receives the ofiset end 34', of the rod 30.

Referring now to FIGURE 9 in particular, it will be seen that there isillustrated a modified form of torsion member which is referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 58. The torsion member 58 is in theform of a coil spring having one end 60 extending through an aperture 62in the tubular extension 20 and the other end thereof in the form of aneye 64 receiving the offset end 34 of the rod 30.

It is to be understood that the two torsion members 42 and 58 willfunction the same. Both will tend to hold the intermediate blade portion32 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 6 so as to bias a screw whenplaced on the screw driver and thus retain the screw in place.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been devised anextremely simple screw holding means wherein all of the componentsthereof are disposed internally of the screw driver and which areextremely simple in operation and of such a nature so as to beindestructible for all practical purposes.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What isvclaimed as new is as follows:

1. A screw driver with screw holding means, said screw driver comprisingan elongated tubular shank having a bore therein, said shank terminatingat one end in a bifurcated blade for driving a screw and at the otherend thereof in a tubular extension having a longitudinal bore formedtherein, a handle rigidly secured on said tubular extension, said screwholding means including a rod extending through and rotatably journaledin said bore, said rod terminating at one end in a screw retaining bladedisposed intermediate portions of said bifurcated blade and beingalignable therewith, an operator connected to the opposite end of saidrod for positioning said screw retaining blade, a torsion memberdisposed within said tubular extension and having one end thereofanchored to said tubular extension, the other end of said torsion memberbeing connected to said rod and urging said screw retaining lade to aposition in alignment with said bifurcated blade, said operator being inthe form of a cylindrical extension of said handle rotatably journaledon said tubular extension, a transverse slot in said tubular extensionaligned with said cylindrical extension, said rod having an offset endportion extending through said slot and secured to said cylindricalextension, said transverse slot being circumferential and the oppositeends thereof consisting stops limiting the rotation of said offset endportion to between a first position and a second position 180 therefrom.

2. A screw driver with screw holding means, said screw driver comprisingan elongated tubular shank having a bore therein, said shank terminatingat one end in a bifurcated blade for driving a screw and at the otherend thereof in a tubular extension having a longitudinal bore formedtherein, a handle rigidly secured on said tubular extension, said screwholding means including a rod extending through and rotatably journaledin said bore, said rod terminating at one end in a screw retaining bladedisposed intermediate portions of said bifurcated blade and beingalignable therewith, an operator connected to the opposite end of saidrod for positioning said screw retaining blade, a torsion memberdisposed within said tubular extension and having one end thereofanchored to said tubular extension, the other end of said torsion memberbeing connected to said rod and urging said screw retaining blade to aposition in alignment with said bifurcated blade, said torsion memberbeing in the form of an elongated strap, a connector securing said strapto said rod, said connector being in the form of an elongated bar havingtransverse slots in opposite ends thereof, said strap having one endseated in one of said bar slots, said rod having an end portion seatedin the other of said bar slots, said transverse slot beingcircumferential and the opposite ends thereof consisting stops limitingthe rotation of said offset end portion to 180 between a first positionand a second position 180 therefrom.

3. A screw driver with screw holding means, said screw driver comprisingan elongated tubular shank having a bore therein, said'shank terminatingat one end in a bifurcated blade for driving a screw and at the otherend thereof in a tubular extension having a longitudinal bore formedtherein, a handle secured on said tubular extension, said screw holdingmeans including a rod extending through and rotatably journaled in saidbore, said rod terminating at one end in a screw retaining bladedisposed intermediate portions of said bifurcated blade and beingalignable therewith, an operator connected to the opposite end of saidrod for positioning said screw retaining blade, a torsion memberdisposed within said tubular extension and having one end thereofanchored to said tubular extension, the other end of said torsion memberbeing connected to said rod and urging said screw retaining blade to aposition in alignment with said bifurcated blade, stop means limitingrotational movement of said rod between a first position with saidretaining blade in alignment with said bifurcated blade and a secondposition rotated 180 from said first position, said torsion member beingin the form of an elongated strap, a connector securing said strap tosaid rod, said connector being of a U-shape and receiving an end portionof said rod.

4. A screw driver with screw holding means, said screw driver comprisingan elongated tubular shank having a bore therein, said shank terminatingat one end in a bifurcated blade for driving a'screw and at the otherend thereof in a tubular extension having a longitudinal bore formedtherein, a handle secured on said tubular extension, said screw holdingmeans including a rod extending through and rotatably journaled in saidbore, said rod terminating at one end in a screw retaining bladedisposed intermediate portions of said bifurcated blade and beingalignable therewith, an operator connected to the opposite end of saidrod for positioning said screw retaining blade, a torsion memberdisposed within said tubular extension and having one end thereofanchored to said tubular extension, the other end of said torsion memberbeing connected to said rod and urging said screw retaining blade to aposition in alignment with said bifurcated 'blade, stop means limitingrotational movement of said rod between a first position with saidretaining blade in alignment with said bifurcated blade and a secondposition rotated 180 from said first position, said torsion member beingin the form of a coil spring.

5. A screw driver with screw holding means, said screw driver comprisinga handle having an elongated tubular shank rigidly secured thereto, saidshank having a longitudinal bore formed therein, said shank terminatingat one end in a bifurcated blade for driving a screw, said screw holdingmeans including a rod extending through and rotatably journaled in saidbore, said rod terminating at one end in a screw retaining bladedisposed intermediate portions of said bifurcated blade and being'alignable therewith, an operator connected to said rod for rotation ofthe latter for positioning said screw retaining blade relative to saidbifurcated blade, stop means limiting rotational movement of said rodbetween a first position with said retaining blade in alignment withsaid bifurcated blade and a second position rotated at least from saidfirst position, a torsion member having one end connected to said rodand the other end connected to said shank for yieldably rotating saidrod toward said first position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,722,116 Spotford July 23, 1929 2,161,095 Schafier June 6, 19392,566,683 Thompson Sept 4, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 248,061 Switzerland Jan.16,1948

534,694 Germany Sept. 30, 1931

